Despite the fact that yesterday was the hottest day of 2014 so far in New York City, we are now post-Labor Day, which means it’s our duty, as fashion writers, to push both you and ourselves as quickly into fall dressing as humanly possible. What better way to do that than with fur? Specifically, we’re going to examine these two fur bucket bags in our latest edition of The Look for Less.

Fur is one of those situations where the quality of material used is immediately apparent, and that means it’s not terribly difficult to figure out that the Ralph Lauren Shearling Bucket Bag is the more expensive option here. I’d love to own a pillow made out of this bag’s fur, but based on the price of the bag, that’s not an option.

The Elizabeth & James bag is similar in both color and structure, but the fur used is different. Not only is this kind of curly lamb less expensive, but it has a less precious look to it; this is a decidedly casual bag that adds texture to an outfit without overpowering the other pieces, while the Ralph Lauren version is definitely a statement piece unto itself. The prices certain reflect those aesthetic differences.

Fashion is a complicated topic, for sure. It sits at the intersection of art and commerce, of high and low culture, of aesthetic and functional design. Sometimes, though, when something is beautiful enough, fashion feels incredibly simple; it’s just about owning something beautiful. That’s what it felt like when I first set eyes on the Ralph Lauren Alligator Soft Ricky Bags.

Handbag lovers are all well familiar with the Birkin-reminiscent Ricky by now, as well as with all kinds of exotics, but something about these bags stands out. Perhaps its the color choices, which are all soft, powdery pastels that give the alligator an almost porcelain quality. Its an extra element of delicacy to an already fragile material, and it’s easy to get the idea of the kind of women who would potentially carry one of these. Suffice it to say that her life probably doesn’t suck.